Carl Bass is president and chief executive officer of Autodesk, a maker of professional 3D design software and consumer applications, and was a co-founder of Ithaca Software, which commercialized HOOPS, a 3D graphics system. Bass has been credited with expanding Autodesk beyond its core AutoCAD software through acquisitions and new product developments and transitioning from 2D to 3D model-based design.

Bass was born in New York. After starting at Cornell University, Bass took a break to build boats, furniture and sculpture in Seattle and Maine for five years. He returned to Cornell and graduated with Bachelor of Arts in mathematics in 1983.

In 1981, Bass co-founded a computer graphics company called Flying Moose Systems and Graphics Ltd., which became Ithaca Software in 1986. The company commercialized HOOPS, a 3D graphics system originally developed at Cornell University in the mid 1980s. Bass served as Ithaca Software’s chief technology officer and CEO. He joined Autodesk when the company acquired Ithaca Software in 1993, serving as the chief architect for AutoCAD.

In 2006, Bass was named as Autodesk' president and CEO.

During his tenure as CEO, Bass has focused on expanding the company beyond its core AutoCAD software through acquisitions and new product development and transitioning from 2D to 3D design. He has emphasized vertical markets focusing on model-based design, simulation and lifecycle management. Under his direction, Autodesk has introduced consumer-oriented products such as SketchBook, a mobile painting and drawing app with over seven million users as of Nov. 2011. In March 2008, Autodesk was ranked number 25 on Fast Company's list of "The World's 50 Most Innovative Companies."